Well now we’re learning why 300 pages were added at 3 a.m. and the Congress wasn’t allowed time to read this bill. The climate bill will legislate home inspections by government regulators who will demand to audit every aspect of your property under the threat of substantial and repeated fines if their visits are denied or their demands not satisfied. Senator James Inhofe of Oklahoma, said that the “razor-thin vote in the House spells doom in the Senate.” Let’s hope he’s right.
Bureaucrats Will Carry Out Mandatory Home Inspections Under Climate Bill
H.R. 2454 is a 1400-page promise to audit every aspect of your home and life under the guise of creating jobs, clean energy and a sustainable world. However, before we get into the bill lets examine the way it’s been handled.
The secrecy of the bill and the speed of which the legislation is being railroaded is quite alarming. The last two times I’ve seen this was with the Patriot Act and TARP legislation.
Congressman Ron Paul told the Washington Times that no one was allowed to read the Patriot Act, and for that, we received one of the most anti-American legislations we’ve ever seen.
TARP had similar shenanigans, it was rushed through the house, no one could read it.
There are several problems with this bill, however I’ll only address the first two, as the third is self-explanatory;
1) The bill makes the assumption that man-made climate change is undisputed and widely accepted as fact.
2) The bill unleashes bureaucrats to audit and judge your lifestyle.
3) The bill will drive the last remaining manufacturing jobs out of the country to unregulated countries.
Home Audit: A Look into the Future
The bill states every home owner will receive an energy audit. What is a home energy audit? It is an intrusive visit made by the bureaucrats at the Home Energy Team or a similar group. They will examine and report the way you live your life directly to RESNET (Residential Energy Services Network)
. Light fixtures, socket types, spas, hot tubs, windows, appliances, walls and roofs will all be under review. Energy tests will be conducted throughout your house. At the end of the visit you will receive a report and a rating. The report will focus on the changes you need to make and the rating is called a HERS rating (Home Energy Rating System). RESNET will perform the audits through authorized contractors. RESNET has adopted the Mortgage Industry National Home Energy Rating Standards. The standards set the national procedures for home energy ratings.
According to RESNET, an audit consists of:
Comprehensive Home Energy Audit - A level of the RESNET Home Energy Audit process defined by this standard to include the evaluation, diagnosis and proposed treatment of an existing home. The Comprehensive Home Energy Audit may be based on a Home Performance Assessment (“Comprehensive Home Performance Energy Audit”) or Home Energy Rating (“Comprehensive HERS Audit”), in accordance with the criteria established by this Standard. A homeowner may elect to go through this process with or without a prior Home Energy Survey or Diagnostic Home Energy Survey.
Here is an in-depth breakdown of the audit:
704.1.2.3 The Home Energy Survey Professional shall request copies of utility bills or
written permission to obtain the energy use information from the utility company, and use
them to produce an estimate of generalized end-uses (base, heating, and cooling).
704.1.2.5. Minimum Procedures for an In-Home Energy Survey:
704.1.2.5.1.1 R-values of wall/ceiling/floor insulation
704.1.2.5.1.2 Square footage and approximate age of home
704.1.2.5.1.3 Type of windows: glazing type(s) and frame material(s)
704.1.2.5.1.4 Type, model number, and location of heating/cooling system(s)
704.1.2.5.1.5 Type of ductwork, location and R-value of duct insulation, and any
indications of previous duct sealing
704.1.2.5.1.6 Type of foundation is crawl, basement, or slab
704.1.2.5.1.7 Checklist of common air-leakage sites indicating likely opportunities for leakage reduction
704.1.2.5.1.8 Estimated age and efficiency of major appliances such as
dishwashers, refrigerators, freezers, washing machines and dryers
704.1.2.5.1.9 Number and type of hardwired light fixtures and screw-in bulbs in portable lamps suitable for energy efficient re-lamping
704.1.2.5.1.10 Visual indications of condensation
704.1.2.5.1.11 Presence and location of exhaust fans, and determination of whether they are vented outdoors
704.1.2.5.1.12 Number and type of water fixtures (e.g. faucets, showerheads)
704.1.2.5.1.13 Presence and type(s) of combustion equipment; identification of visually identifiable evidence of flame rollout, blocked chimney, and corroded or missing vent connector.
There is no doubt homes need to be more efficient, however, this audit will drain the pockets of the unlucky people whose houses are older and/or cheaply made due to builder irresponsibility. Let’s say your builder used cheap windows, very little insulation or a high-water toilet, the cost of those upgrades will be in the thousands of dollars. By making the recommended changes, you will receive a tax credit for improvements made under the energy star program.
Please note, most rebates are 30% of cost, maximum $1500. Good luck if your central air is deemed unacceptable. After the upgrades are completed, you must have the auditors back out to your property for a final inspection. Early reports of denying audits carry a misdemeanor charge and a $2000 fine for each count. The more you deny, the more you pay.
As mentioned before, we do need clean energy, less fossil fuel, more efficient homes and cars, but not this way. Make no mistake, we do have real environmental crises; drugs in the water, cloning, species extinction, genocide and genetically modified food are all very real. Let’s focus on those, before you focus on the kind of faucet I have in the bathroom. Recycle, walk, ride a bike from time-to-time, open your windows, tune-up your car and plant a garden, but please, stay out of my house!
Contact your Senator and tell them to vote this down or you’ll vote them out.
Steve Hilton
babybttrfly
Mike